Electrolyte manufacturing device and method for manufacturing electrolyte

Abstract

An electrolyte manufacturing device includes an electrolytic cell including a diaphragm separating an anode chamber from a cathode chamber, a circulator circulating an anolyte to the anode chamber and circulating a catholyte to the cathode chamber, and a power source supplying current. A cathode in the electrolytic cell includes a carbon fiber layer on a plane facing the diaphragm. The electrolytic cell includes an anode net placed between the anode and the diaphragm, and a cathode net placed between the cathode and the diaphragm. The circulator circulates the anolyte at a flow rate that is greater than the flow rate of the catholyte and is equal to or greater than twice the volume of gaseous oxygen generated in the anode chamber per unit time at 0° C.

1 . An electrolyte manufacturing device comprising:
 an electrolytic cell including an anode chamber in which an anode is placed, a cathode chamber in which a cathode is placed, and a diaphragm separating the anode chamber from the cathode chamber;   a circulator circulating an aqueous sulfuric acid solution as an anolyte to the anode chamber and circulating an aqueous sulfuric acid solution containing quadrivalent or higher polyvalent vanadium as a catholyte to the cathode chamber; and   a power source being electrically connected to the anode and the cathode and supplying current,   wherein   the cathode includes a carbon fiber layer on a plane facing the diaphragm,   the electrolytic cell includes a mesh-like anode net placed between the anode and the diaphragm, and a mesh-like cathode net placed between the cathode and the diaphragm, and   the circulator circulates the anolyte at a flow rate that is greater than a flow rate of the catholyte and is equal to or greater than twice a volume of gaseous oxygen generated in the anode chamber per unit time at 0° C.   
     
     
         2 . The electrolyte manufacturing device according to  claim 1 , wherein a ratio of a flow rate of the anolyte to a flow rate of the catholyte is equal to or greater than 1.25 and equal to or less than 3.4. 
     
     
         3 . The electrolyte manufacturing device according to  claim 1 , wherein a filling factor of the carbon fiber layer is equal to or greater than 70% and equal to or less than 120%. 
     
     
         4 . The electrolyte manufacturing device according to  claim 1 , wherein the circulator circulates the catholyte at a flow rate equal to or greater than six times a specific flow rate. 
     
     
         5 . The electrolyte manufacturing device according to  claim 1 , wherein concentration of the quadrivalent or higher polyvalent vanadium in an aqueous sulfuric acid solution containing the quadrivalent or higher polyvalent vanadium is equal to or greater than 1.0 mol/L and equal to or less than 3.0 mol/L. 
     
     
         6 . The electrolyte manufacturing device according to  claim 1 , wherein a thickness of the cathode net is less than a thickness of the anode net. 
     
     
         7 . A method for manufacturing an electrolyte comprising:
 a circulation process of circulating an aqueous sulfuric acid solution as an anolyte to an anode chamber separated by a diaphragm, an anode and a mesh-like anode net placed between the anode and the diaphragm being placed in the anode chamber, and circulating an aqueous sulfuric acid solution containing quadrivalent or higher polyvalent vanadium as a catholyte to a cathode chamber separated by the diaphragm, a cathode including a carbon fiber layer on a plane facing the diaphragm, and a mesh-like cathode net placed between the cathode and the diaphragm being placed in the cathode chamber; and   a reduction process of supplying current between the anode and the cathode and electrolytically reducing the quadrivalent or higher polyvalent vanadium in the cathode chamber,   wherein, in the circulation process, the anolyte is circulated at a flow rate that is greater than a flow rate of the catholyte and is equal to or greater than twice a volume of gaseous oxygen generated in the anode chamber per unit time at 0° C.   
     
     
         8 . The method for manufacturing an electrolyte according to  claim 7 , wherein, in the circulation process, the anolyte is circulated at a flow rate ratio equal to or greater than 1.25 and equal to or less than 3.4 relative to the catholyte. 
     
     
         9 . The method for manufacturing an electrolyte according to  claim 7 , wherein, in the circulation process, the catholyte is circulated at a flow rate equal to or greater than six times a specific flow rate.